Manufacture of miniature thermionic devices



y 27, 1943- J. J. BANNON, JR

MANUFACTURE OF MINIATURE THERMIONIC DEVICES Filed July 1, 1943 INVENTOR JOSEPHJZA /wv0/v,Jn. HW f "7" ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, 1948 MANUFACTURE OF MINIATURE THERMIONIC DEVICES Joseph J. Bannon, Jr., North Arlington, N. J assignor to Tung-Sol Lamp Works, Inc., Newark, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1943', Serial No. 493,027

1 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of (thermionic devices.

In the manufacture of thermionic devices or mounts, and particularly mounts for miniature radio tubes of the type in which a selaing-in button is spaced from the grid-plate structure, difficulties are experienced in obtaining accurate alinement of the buttons with the grid structures when the connecting wires between the two elements are welded together.

The invention resides in a novel and improved method and apparatus for assuring the exact valinement and spacing of the elements of the mount and facilitating the welding of the connecting wires.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating two of the steps of applicants invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a mount for a miniature tube which is assembled according to applicants invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a means for facilitating the practice of the method;

5 is a plan vew thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, disposed at right angles thereto.

The miniature mount which I have chosen for illustration of the invention comprises concentrio, cylindrical plates, one of which is indicated by the numeral l, with mica or other insulating discs 3 and 4 fastened at the top and bottom of these plates respectively and holding them in concentric relation. The discs 3 and 4 may be slightly spaced from the ends of the plates, as illustrated. The particular structure of this mount does not enter into the present invention and accordingly its details are not illustrated. It comprises a multiplicity of wires 5, 5, l, etc., proiecting out through the disc 3 from the elements of the mount and forming terminals for these elements. A sealing-in button or disc Ii) of glass or the like carries a multiplicity of terminals 1 i, 12, I3, etc, for forming an electrical connection outside of the envelope or tube (not illustrated). terminals project through the button or bead iii and have corresponding connections ll, 12', 5', etc., on the opposite or inner side of the button 1? or forming electrical connections with the wires 5, G, 3, etc, and for carrying the plate element I, 3, 4.

These two elements, namely the button It and the plate element l, are illustrated in Fig. 1 before the fastening or welding of the connections H, I2, I3, etc., to the electrical terminals 5, 6, 1, etc. is effected. The difliculty in the conventional practice of fastening and welding these connections is that the percentage of rejects is unduly large because of improper spacing and misalinement of the button"!!! on the one hand and part I, 3, 4 on the other hand. These objections of the conventional practice are obviated by my invention, which resides in the method and apparatus hereinafter set forth.

In order to obtain exact and precision spacing and alinement of the button to with respect to the cylindrical part I, 3, 4, these parts are separately mounted on a spacing and alining device comprising a V-shaped alining and spacing element A for holding and alining the cylindrical part I, and an alining and spacing'ele'ment B for accommodating and holding the button ID. The cylindrical part I is properly alined and. positioned on the element A in any suitable manner as, for example, by holding the part I firmly within the V of the holder with some convenient part of the part I as, for example, the disc 3 or 4 bearing a predetermined relation with respect to the V support. If desired, the spacing may be such that the projecting edge of the disc 4 bears against the lefthand edge of the V holder (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) The element B comprises an arcuate or semiannular groove open at the top for the reception of the button In and may be formed conveniently of an annular angle iron 35 formed into an arc and a corresponding arc-shaped plate 34 fastened thereto in any suitable manner as, for example, by the bolts IT. The angle iron 35 in the particular embodiment shown is provided with an internal member or shoulder l8 which assists in the holding and precision alining of the button iii. If desired, a shim l9 ma be provided between the plates 35 and 34, namely, in line with the bolts H, which pass through openings formed in the shim for the purpose of adjusting or spacing the plate 34 with respect to the plate 35 the desired amount to accommodate the button or disc Ill.

The precision alining and spacing elements A and B are supported, in the particular embodiment shown, by a standard 2|! whose lower end is pivotally mounted at 21 on a base element 22; the base element 22 comprising a pair of spaced upstanding members 22 for'receiving the flattened lower end of the standard 20. By this arrangement the standard 2|] may be swung back and forth about the pivot 2| in a plane at right angles to a central plane through the elements A and B. The lower corners 23 of the flattened. end 20' of the standard may serve as the means for limiting the swinging movement standard 29 through a predetermined are on either side by engaging the surface 24' or bottom of the groove formed by theupstanding. supports 22'. Theelement A ismounted on a standard 25 which in turn is mounted for swiveling and adjusting movements in a bracket 26 projecting at right angles to the standard 20. The bracket 261s. carried by a collar 26 surrounding the standard Zil and being adjustable longitudinally of the standard 20 by releasing and fastening, afteradjustment, a set-screw 21. may be adjusted away from and toward the standard 20, and thus the element A is universally ad-.

justable with respect to the element B.

The elements A and B are mounted adjacent an electric welding machine comprising a stationary electrode 30 and amovable electrode M. The other elements of the'welding machine are omitted for convenience in illustration since the structure of the machine maybe of any conventional character. The method of assembling and forming aunitary structure'of the parts I and I with-precision alinement'and spacing is as follows: With theelements A and B adjusted with respect to each other to accommodate and properlyaline and space the parts I and Ill, the latter maybe and preferablyfare positioned respectively on the elements A and B by hand manipulation. Fig. 1 illustrates the operator in the act of positioning these. parts I and I0 respectively upon the elements Aand B. With these parts thus assembled on the elements A and B and there firmly held by the fingers, as illustrated in Fig.2, theprecision device is swung over about the pivot 2| to a position to bring two of the connectionsto be fastened or'w'elded to apposition resting upon' the stationary electrode 30. Thus one of theconnecting wires II', I2, I3, etc., is to be welded to one'of'the connecting wires 6, 1, etc., extending from the plate, grid, heater and cathode-elements of themount. In the particular embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the connection [Pleading from the terminal II is to bewelded to the terminal 5. :Thewelding of these connections together is ielfected 1 by bringing the movable electrode 3| of the electric welding machine into engagement with the two wires 5 and II which: are resting uponithe electrode 30 in contact with each'other ready for the Welding step. After. the" welding of one of the connections is effected,i'the= operatonlwhile still holding the parts -I and III" firmly in the elements A and B and in the alined andr'spacedposition, proceeds to join' and weld another one of the connections, preferably one'which'is spaced'a considerable distance from the weld between 5 and II as, for example, the weldbetween'another grid plate connection and connection" I5. With these two welds formed respectivelyi'between 5 and I I on the one hand and at I5 on the other, it is no longer necessary tov hold the" parts I'and I0 in the elements A and B, since they are now alined and"spaced exactlyas.desired, and the connections II and I5 are ofsuflicient'strength to hold the parts I and II] in alinementwhile the remainder of the welds are formed. In other words, the operator, if'she'desires, maynow release' the elements i-A'? and "B; move" the standard 20 about'the pivot Z'IIaWayfrom' the position underneath thestationaryelectrode 3D and then proceed 'to. effect the other welds: between the If desired, the standard'zii .and sufficiently rigid fastening of the part I to .thepart I0 is effected for permanently retaining l/the alin'ementand spacing during the further welding and manufacturing steps.

. I claim:

1.--'A1means for. facilitating the precision aline- "mentand spacing of the sealing-in part and the .grid-plate part of a miniature radio tube comprising a standard pivotally mounted for swinging movements toward and away from an electric welder and alined holding devices carried by said standard for supporting in precision alinement and spacing relation said parts while effecting the welding of terminal connections between the parts the alined holders comprising a V-shaped member for holding the grid-plate part and a narrow arcuate "holder having an arcuate groove for the reception of a button sealing-in part at right angles to the axis of the V member.

2. A means for facilitating the precision alinement and spacing of the sealing-in part and the grid-plate part of a miniature radio tube com prising a standard pivotally mounted for swinging movements toward and away from'an electric welder and alined holding devices carried by said standard for supporting in precision alinement and spacing relation said parts while effecting the Welding of terminal connections between the parts the alined holders comprising a V-shaped member for holding the grid-plate part and a narrow arcuate holder having an arcuate groove for the reception of the button sealing-in part at right angles to the axis of the V member, said V member being swivelly mounted for adjusting movements.

3. A means for facilitating the precision alinement and spacing of the sealing-in part and the grid-plate part of a miniature radio tube comprising a standard pivotally mounted for free swinging movements toward and away from an electric Welder and alined holdingdevices carried by said standard for suporting in precision alinement and spacing relation said parts while effecting the welding of terminal connections between the parts, said alined holding devices comprising an open sided trough-shaped member for holding the grid plate part and a holder having a narrow recess for the reception of a button'sealing-in part at right angles to the axis of the troughshaped member.

4. A means for facilitating the precision alinement and spacing of the sealing-in part and the grid-plate part of a miniature radio tube comprising a standard and alined holding devices carried by said standard for supporting in precision alinement and'spacing relation said parts While effecting the welding of terminal connections between the parts, the alined holders comprising a V-shaped member for holding the grid-plate part and a narrow arcuate holder having an arcuate groove for the reception ofa button sealing-in part at right'angles to' the'axis of the V member.

5. A means for facilitating the precision alignment and spacing of th sealing-in part and the grid plate part of a miniature radio tube comprising a standard pivotally mounted for free swinging movements toward and away from an electric welder and aligned holding devices carried by said standard for supporting in precision alignment and spaced relation said parts while effecting the welding of terminal connections between the parts, said aligned holding devices comprising an open sided trough-shaped member for holding the grid plate part and a holder rigidly mounted with respect to the trough-shaped member and extending laterally with respect to the axis of the trough-shaped member for holding the button sealing-in part at right angles to and in axial alignment with the trough-shaped member and in a predetermined radial position with respect to the grid plate part.

6. In the manufacture of a miniature radio tube, the method of assembling and joining together in precision alignment and spaced relation a cylindrical grid plate part having a multiplicity of spaced terminal connections and a button sealing-in part having a multiplicity of correspending and circumferentially spaced terminal connections to be fastened to the other terminals, which comprises the steps of supporting and firmly holding the parts in precision aligned and spaced relation and in a position wherein the terminals of the parts may be electric welded together and while thus holding the parts in precision aligned and spaced relation, fastening together at least two pairs of the terminals which are spaced from each other a greater distance than other pairs of connections and then with the parts thus rigidly mounted as a unit with the parts in axial and radial alignment and at least two of the connections already formed electric welding the other corresponding connections without the use of holding and aligning devices.

'I. The method of assembling and electrically connecting the grid plate part and the button sealing-in part of miniature radio tubes, said grid plate part having a multiplicity of spaced relatively rigid terminal wires electrically connected with its elements and extending from one end thereof and the button sealing-in part having a multiplicity of corresponding terminal wires extending therethrough, the ends of said wires on one side thereof being spaced and arranged to correspond with the spacing and arrangement of the terminal wires extending from the grid plate part, said method comprising the steps of resting and supporting the parts on spaced and aligned supporting and aligning means, firmly pressing the parts against said means with the parts in precision alignment and spaced relation one with the other for attachment of the corresponding terminal wires of th parts, and while so firmly pressing the parts against said means electric welding together at least two pairs of terminal Wires which are spaced from each other a distance greater than other pairs thereby fixedly mounting in precision alignment and spaced relation the grid plate part to the button sealing-in part and completing the electric circuit between the pairs of wires so welded and then with the parts thus rigidly mounted one with respect to the other electric welding the remaining corresponding pairs of terminal wires without the aid of the supporting and aligning means.

JOSEPH J. BANNON, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 406,849 McCauley July 9, 1889 1,083,956 Thomson Jan. 13, 1914 1,326,147 Carswell et al Dec. 23, 1919 1,550,651 Charter Aug. 18, 1925 1,580,358 Wright Apr. 13, 1926 1,585,490 Hainsworth May 18, 1926 1,684,145 Riek Sept. 11, 1928 1,697,117 Hilstad et a1. Jan. 1, 1929 1,878,212 Walker Sept. 20, 1932 2,106,525 Henry Jan. 25, 1938 2,164,567 Burke July 4, 1939 2,221,108 Rathbun NOV. 12, 1940 2,312,914 Koszeghy Mar. 2, 1943 

